Machines for inserting packing material into bottles



July 21, 1959 i A; c. HOLLIS 2,895,275

MACHINES FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES Filed July 11, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 1 Ihven for A l be rz 04011115 July 21, 1959 A. c. HOLLIS 2,895,275

MAcHms FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES Filed-July 11, 1956 e Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor A [be/'2 CHoZZzLs- 5 his 1 July 21, 1959 j A. HOLLIS 2,895,275 MACHINES FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES Filed July '11, 1956 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Inventor" Alba/ CHOZZLS July 21,1959 A. c. HOLLIS ,895,

MACHINES FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES Filed July in, 1956 e Sheets-Sheei 4 |r-------- l 1 ii ,5/ LL ll 15,

' S I I (v) I15] 1'] I Albert C. Hollis Inve nim" y 1959 A. c. HOLLIS 2,895,275

MACHINES FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL mo BOTTLES Filed July 11, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 5 t m 1 in Inventor Albert CHOZ/ZJ 5 his 29 y 21, 1959 A. c. HOLLIS 2,895,275

MACHINES FOR INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES Filed July 11, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 6 I6020OZZO40260280300520340360 Feed arm Feed disc BorHe holder CoHun wool feeding Holder furmng Shear arm Shear arms Opening 8 Closing Inventor AlberzCf/ollz's United States Patent MACHINES FOR- INSERTING PACKING MATERIAL INTO BOTTLES 12 Claims. (Cl. 5359) This invention is concerned with improvements in or relating to machines adapted for use in inserting packing material into containers.

Tablets or the like are often packed in small rigid containers such as bottles adapted for cap or cork closures, and to minimize movement of and consequent risk of damage to such articles in such a container it is usual to insert into the container a small portion of packing material between such articles and the closure. The packing material is usually cotton wool, but may, for example, be a strip of crinkled paper or the like. There are various types of containers used for such a purpose; a container of one common type comprises a neck portion, adapted to receive a closure such as a cap or a cork, and a shouldered body portion, larger in cross section than the neck portion. Manufacturers frequently desire that after a container of this common type has had a required number of tablets placed therein, it should have cotton wool inserted therein not only into the neck portion of the container, but also under the shouldering of the body portion on top of the tablets to act as a packing. The size and shape of the shouldering wil-l depend on the relative sizes and shapes of the neck portion (which is almost always circular in cross section) and the body portion (which is usually oval in cross section but may be of some other shape such as square or circular). In a container with a neck portion of circular cross section and a body portion of oval cross section the shouldering is large along the greater axis of the oval cross section and small along the smaller axis. In a container with a body portion of square cross section the shouldering is large along the diagonals of the square cross section and small at 45 to these diagonals. In a container with a body portion of circular cross section the shouldering is approximately the same size all round.

' It has been common to insert packing material into such containers by hand: this is an expensive and time consuming process, particularly when the containers are of the common type described and the neck portion is.

comparatively small. There have been proposed machines for performing the inserting operation, but so far as we are aware they have all been expensive and complex in design and not capable of being easily adapted for use with bottles having body portions and neck portions of different cross sections and sizes.

It should be understood that when a strip of crinkled paper, or the like is used as packing material, such a strip is preferably crumpled inside the container so that it better affords the required protection to the articles in the container. Cotton wool affords the required protection by virtue of its fibrous and resilient nature.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improved machine adapted for use in inserting packing material into a container.

A machine is hereinafter described to illustrate the invention by way of example. This illustrative machine is adapted for use in inserting cotton wool into a container to act as a packing on top of previously inserted 2 tablets or the like; the machine will be described as inserting cotton wool into small bottles of the type comprising a neck portion and a shouldered body portion, and in which the body portion is of oval cross section, but it can readily be modified for use with other con-' tainers.

The illustrative machine comprises an inserting mechanism which operates to feed and. insert cotton wool into a bottle situated at anoperating station, bottle feeding mechanism which takes bottles, containing a number of previously inserted tablets, from a supply and feeds them one after another into and out of the operating station, presenting means at the operating station arranged in the operation of the machine to present a bottle to the inserting mechanism so that cotton wool is inserted therein, and means arranged to detach the cotton wool which has been inserted in the bottle from the remainder in the machine. Cotton wool is supplied to the machine in the form of a continuous rope.

The illustrative machine comprises a frame which supports a main shaft and a second shaft, the shafts being driven from a motor in such a way that when the machine is in operation the main shaft rotates more slowly than the second shaft. A table is mounted so that it extends forward from the frame. Fixed to the table are guide ways so spaced from each other that a bottle may conveniently be passed between them; these guide- Ways form a track along which bottles pass in the operation of the illustrative machine, the track comprising two straight guideways, .two curved guideways and two further guideways which comprise both straight and curved portions. Mounted above the table and parallel to it is a substantially horizontal feed disc; the disc is fixed to an upper portion of a shaft which passes vertically through the table, the shaft and disc being concentric with the curved guideways and the curved portions of the further guideways. Around the circumference of the disc are cut eightequally spaced similar 'gaps which are arranged to pass over the. curved guideways and the curved portions of the further guideways, and are each of a convenient size to accommodate a bottle positioned in said guide ways so, thaton rotation of the disc a bottle positioned in one of the gaps in the disc may be carried round the curved portion of the track. A feed arm is pivoted to the table and is arranged, by linkages operated by a cam on the main shaft, to take bottles, containing a requisite number of tablets previously inserted therein, one by one from between the two straight guideways and transfer them to the gaps in the feed disc.

The bottle feeding mechanism of the illustrative machine also comprises mechanism, including a cam on the main shaft, which causes the feed disc to be indexed round by one-eighth of a revolution at a time for each rotation of the main shaft which rotates continuously while the machine is in operation. Thus bottles are placed in the feed disc by the feed arm and are indexed round one by one to the operating station, where they are carried into. the presenting means which comprises a bottle holder. The holder is so arranged that during the operation of the machine, as will be further described, it is moved upwards and downwards, for each rotation of the main shaft, to present a bottle to the inserting mechanism.

The inserting mechanism of the illustrative machine is mounted on a face plate fixed to the frame, and comprises a guide member which comprises an upper, tube, portion formed to control a rope of cotton wool and a lower portion which extends obliquely downwards and presents a guide surface for the cotton wool, and feeding mechanism, including a feeding member, for causing cotton wool to be fed obliquely downwards along the guide surface. A block attached to the face plate supports the guide member. The feeding member is pivoted approximately midway between its end portions towards one end of a beam whichis itself pivoted intermediate its ends to the faceplate. Towards its other end the beam is pivoted by a pin to a driving link which is driven by being connected by a crank pin to a disc mounted on the aforementioned second shaft, which passes through the face plate, so that as the second shaft is rotated vertical and lateral motion is imparted to the link and the beam is rocked by the link about its pivot. An ear is fixed to the said link approximately midway between the crank pin and the aforesaid pin pivoting the beam to the link. Interconnecting this ear and an upper end portion of the feeding member is a link forming a lost motion device; the lost motion device comprises a first sleeve which is hinged to the car, a second sleeve which is hinged to an upper end portion of the feeding member,

and a rod which is fixed in the first sleeve but can move axially in the second sleeve. A spring is also connected between the ear and a projection attached to the feeding member and urges the member in an anticlockwise direction, as seen from the front of the illustrative machine. The inserting mechanism of the illustrative machine operates as follows. A rope of cotton wool passes through the upper tube portion of the guide member and lies between the guide member and the feeding member along the lower portion of the guide member, the guide surface thus being presented to the cotton wool. on the second shaft is positioned with the crank pin at top dead centre the lower end portion of the feed member grips cotton wool between itself and the guide member, being urged towards the guide member by the action of the aforementioned spring. As the disc rotates, vertical movement of the link causes the beam to rock on its pivot; at the same time lateral movement of the ear on the link towards the operating station causes the first sleeve to be thrown towards the second sleeve until it engages it. causes the feeding member to be moved clockwise relative to its pivot (viewing the front of the illustrative machine) and the lower end portion of the feeding member is moved away from the guide member. As the crank pin comes toward and passes bottom dead centre, lateral movement of the ear on the link away from the operating station causes anticlockwise movement of the feeding member relative to its pivot, the sleeves of the lost motion device remaining in contact under the action of the spring. When the lower end portion of the feeding member engages the cotton wool and grips it against the guide member further anticlockwise motion of the feeding member relative to its pivot is prevented and the lower end portion thereof is prevented from following the path which it would have followed in the absence of the cotton wool and of the guide member. As further movement of the link takes place the first sleeve moves away from the second sleeve against the action of the spring and the lower end portion of the feeding member, gripping cotton wool between itself and the guide member under the action of the spring of the lost motion device, feeds cotton wool downwards along the guide surface of the guide member. Thus while the crank pin is moving from that position past bottom dead centre (in which the lower end portion of the feeding member first engages the cotton wool) towards top dead centre, the sleeves move apart, the beam rocks clockwise on its pivot and the lower end portion of the feeding member, urged to grip cotton wool between itself and the guide member by the spring, moves obliquely downwards along the guide member thus causing cotton Wool to be fed forward along the guide surface relative to the guide member. The lower end portion of the feeding member is thus arranged in the operation of the illustrative machine to move to and fro in a closed path so that for'one part of the path it causes cotton wool to be fed as just described; cotton wool is fed into each'bottle by a plurality of such to and fro movements. As has also been shown, for the,

When the disc Further lateral movement of the ear then 7 4 other part of the closed path the lower end portion of the feeding member is not urged by the spring towards the guide member. There is thus an overall forward feed of cotton wool relative to the guide member.

The illustrative machine. comprises a sensing device which ensures that cotton wool is only fed when a bottle is presented to the inserting mechanism. The sensing device comprises a microswitch so positioned adjacent the guide member on a positioning member, which is in the form of a block fixed to the face plate, that when a bottle is presented to the guide member of the inserting mechanism by upward movement of the bottle holder so that part of the guide surface is accommodated in the bottle the neck portion of the bottle engages a tongue of the microswitch and causes the sensing device to cause the feeding mechanism to become operative to feed cotton wool into the bottle. The sensing device of the illustrative machine comprises a solenoid so connected to the microswitch that engagement of the tongue of the switch actuates the solenoid. The device comprises a stop arm which is pivoted to the face plate and which is attached by a hinged arm to a solenoid bar positioned in the sole noid. A spring is fixed both to the stop arm and the face plate and urges the stop arm into a first position. When a bottle is presented to the inserting mechanism by upward movement of the bottle holder, the neck portion of the bottle engages the tongue of the microswitch, which actuates the solenoid which causes the stop arm to be moved into a second position. In the first position of the stop arm, the projection attached to the feeding member bears against the stop arm and prevents the lower end portion of the feeding member from being urged against the guide member, and thus prevents full movement of the feeding member as previously described and also prevents cotton wool from being gripped between the two members and being fed forwards relative to the guide member. It will be realised that the feeding member is moving to and fro continually during the opera tion of the illustrative machine, but is normally inoperative to feed cotton wool. Thus when a bottle is in presented position the sensing device is operative to cause the feeding mechanism to operate to feed cotton wool along the guide surface into the bottle and when it is removed from presented position the device is operative to cause the mechanism to cease to feed cotton wool along the guide surfaces.

The illustrative machine also comprises means arranged to detach the cotton Wool which has been inserted into a bottle from the remainder in the machine, said means comprising two shear arms, the one having attached to it a blade, the other a slot adapted to receive the blade. In a rest position the shear arms abut against the lower face of the aforementioned positioning block, and they are caused, in the operation of the machine by means of linkage operated by a cam on the main shaft, to move downwards somewhat from the positioning block into an operating position and then to approach each other and perform a cutting operation.

The passage of a bottle through the illustrative machine will now be described. The bottle is taken from the two straight guideways by the feed arm and positioned in a gap in the feed disc. The disc then indexes once, removes the bottle from the feed arm and positions it between the arcuate guideways. The disc then indexes three more times and the bottle is carried into position in the bottle holder. The holder rises and presents the bottle neck portion uppermost to the guide member so that part of the guide surface is accommodated in the bottle obliquely of the neck portion and the neck portion of the bottle entering the positioning block engages the tongue of the microswitch causing the microswitch to operate the solenoid to move the stop arm so that the feeding member, which moves continuously while the machine is operating, is allowed its full movement and begins to feed cotton wool. Cotton wool is thus fed into the bottle obliquely downwards along the guide surface and passes obliquely across the neck portion of the bottle, and is packed at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion of the bottle. A plurality of to and fro motions of the feeding member in its closed path causes the cotton wool to be fed into the bottle step by step: after one portion of the cotton wool has moved outv of contact with the feeding and guide members it is fed further by the pressure due to feeding subsequent portions of cotton wool. The to and fro movements of the feeding member cause the cotton wool to be packed into the bottle in a plurality of tucks; conveniently the illustrative machine is arranged so that the cotton wool in each bottle contains about ten such tucks. It will be realized that, as the cotton wool is fed into the bottle it will easily accommodate itself to the configuration of the tablets in the bottle, which may well present an irregular surface over which it is desired the cotton wool may be fairly regularly distributed.

If during feeding of cotton wool into the bottle the bottle were to remain in the one position relative to the inserting mechanism cotton wool would only be packed under shouldering in one locality; the illustrative machine, however, is provided with means arranged so that after a certain length of cotton wool has been inserted at one locality under the shouldering the bottle is rotated and a further length inserted so that the feeding member packs cotton wool in the bottle at another locality under the shouldcring'. The bottle holder is thus rotated through approximately 180 relative to the guide member while the inserting operation is taking place simultaneously with the feeding of the cotton wool so that cotton Wool is" packed more uniformly under the shouldering. The holder is then lowered and as the neck portion of the bottle moves out of contact with the tongue of the micro switch, the solenoid is switched off, the stop arm moves from its second to its first position under the action of its spring and the feeding of cotton wool ceases. When the holder is in its lower position, the shear arms move downwards into their operating position and then move towards each other to sever the cotton woolinserted in the bottle from the length of cotton wool, along the guide surface just above the neck portion of the bottle. The holder then rotates back to its firstposition, the shear arms move away from each other and back to their rest position and the feed disc indexes, carrying the bottle with cotton wool inserted out from the holder into the aforementioned further guideways.

There now follows a detailed description of the said illustrative machine, which description is to be read with reference to the accompanying drawings; it will be realized that the illustrative machine has been. selected for description by way of example and not of limitation of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 shows a plan view of the illustrative machine;

Figure 2 shows a left hand side view of the illustrative machine with certain parts broken away to reveal the mechanism and other parts omitted;

Figure 3 shows a plan view of certain mechanisms of the illustrative machine taken along the line IIIIII in Figure 2; certain of the parts are shown" broken away for convenience;

Figure 4 shows a front view of cotton wool inserting The illustrative machine is adapted for usein inserting cotton wool into a container to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or similar articles, the container being a small bottle, or the like of the type comprising a neck portion and a shouldered body portion, and in which the body portion is of oval cross section. Such a bottle is shown at 184 in Figure 5.

The illustrative machine comprises an inserting mechanism D (Figure 1) which operates to feed and insert cotton woolinto a bottle situated at an operating station A, bottle feeding mechanism B which takes bottles, containing a number of previously inserted tablets, from a supply and feeds them one after another into and out of the operating station A, presenting means at the operating station A arranged in the operation of the machine to present a bottle to the inserting mechanism D so that cotton wool is inserted therein, and means C arranged to detach the cotton wool which has been inserted into the bottle from the remainder in the machine. Cotton wool is supplied to the machine in the form of a continuous rope.

v The illustrative machine comprises a frame 2 (Figures 1 and 2) which supports a main shaft 4 and a second shaftll). A motor 16 drives the shaft v10 by means of a belt 12 which passes over a pulley 14. The motor 16 also drives reduction gearing 18 from which leads a shaft 20 which drives the main shaft 4 by means of a chain 22 and sprocket wheels 24, 26. When the machine is in operation the shaft 4 rotates more slowly than the shaft 10.

The bottle feeding mechanism B of the illustrative machine will now be described.

The machine comprises a table 8 which is mounted so that it extends forward from the frame 2 (Figures 1 and 2). Fixed to the table 8 are guideways perpendicular to the plane of the table 8 and so spaced from each other that a bottle may conveniently be passed between them: these guideways form a track along which bottles pass in the operation of the machine. The track comprises, two straightguideways 42, 42, two curved guideways 36, 38, which form approximately a semicircle, and two further guideways 50, 50 which comprise both straight and curved portions. Mounted above the table 8 and parallel to it is a substantially horizontal feed disc 40: the disc 40 is fixed to an upper portion of a shaft 28 which passes vertically through the table 8and which is mounted below the tablein bearings 30 and 32 (Figure 2). The shaft 28 and disc 40' are concentric with the curved guideways 36, 38 and with the curved portions of the guideways 50, 50.

Around the circumference of the disc 40 are cut eight equally spaced similar gaps 34. The gaps 34 are arranged to pass over the guideways 36, 38 and the curved portions of the guideway 50, 50 and are each of a con venient size to accommodate a bottle positioned in said guideways, so that on rotation of the disc a bottle positioned in one of the gaps 34 may be carried around the curved'portion of the track. A feed arm 44 is pivoted .to the table 8 by a spindle 46 and is arranged as will be described later, to take bottles containing a certain number of tablets, previously inserted therein one by one from between the two guideways 42, 42 by means of a U-shaped portion 48 and to transfer the bottles'to the gaps 34 in the disc 40, so that on rotation of the disc 40 the bottles may be carried along the track into and out of the operating' station A.

The bottle feeding mechanism B of the illustrative machine also comprises mechanism arranged to index the.-

disc 40 round by one eighthof a revolution at a time in the operation ofthe machine. This mechanism will now be described. The shaft 28 has fixed towards its lower end a circular plate 52 (Figures 2 and 3) having eight pins 54 equally spaced around its centre. An arm 56 is freely mounted 'on the shaft 28 and has pivoted to it at 60 one end of a connecting rod 58. Towards its other end the rod 58 is connected to an L-shaped bar which'is pivoted on a spindle 64attached to the frame 2. A cam roll '66 mounted on the bar 62 is urged into contact with a cam 68 by a spring 70 connected between the bar 62.

7 and the frame 2. A pawl bar 72'is pivoted intermediate the ends of the arm 56 at 74 and is urged to turn in a clockwise direction (viewing Figure 3) about the pivot 74 by a weak spring 76 which has one end connected to the rod 58 and the other end connected to a hook situated towards one end of the bar 72.

A side face 80 of the bar 72 is thus urged into engagement with a first one of the pins 54, and an end face 78 of the bar engages a second pin 54. As the shaft'4 makes a complete revolution from the position shown in'Figures 2 and 3, movement of the bar 62 in response to the following of the cam 68 by the roll 66 causes the rod 58 to move forwardly (to the right in Figure 2). "-The arm 56 thus rotates in an anticlockwise direction (viewing Figure 3) and the face 80 of the bar 72 rides under spring pressure on the first pin 54 with which it is in engagement until the end face 78 of the bar 72 rides over the said pin, and the side face 80 moves under the action of the spring 76 into engagement with a third pin 54.-' The rod 58 is now caused to move rearwardly (to the left--in Fig ure 2) to return to the position of Figures Zand 3; the arm 56 thus rotates in a clockwise direction, the face 78 of the bar 72 engages the aforesaid first pin and causes the plate 52 and hence the shaft 28 and disc 40 to rotate through one eighth of a revolution. It can thus be seen that on continuous rotation of the shaft 4theshaft '28 is indexed round by one eighth of a revolution at a time.

The bottle feeding mechanism B also comprises means for operating the arm 44 so that in the operation of the machine bottles may be transferred one by one from between the guideways 42, 42 to the gaps 34 in the disc 40. Fixed to the arm 44 is a member 82. The member 82'is mounted towards one end of a rod 84, which is mounted towards its other end on an arm 86 which is pivotedtothe frame 2 at 88. A cam roll 92 mounted on the arm 86 is urged into contact with a cam 94 by a spring 90 which is connected between the member 82 and the underside of the table 8. The cam 94 is so constructed that on a complete revolution of the shaft 4 the arm 44 is caused to move, through the arm 86, rod '84 and member 82 from the position shown in full in Figure 1 to the position shown in broken lines in Figure l and back again to the position shown in full.

The operation of the bottle feeding mechanism B of the illustrative machine will now be described. Bottles containing tablets previously inserted therein are placed between the guideways 42, 42 either by hand-or from a conveyor to form a supply. They lie one behind the other with the greater axes of their body portionsapproximately parallel to the guideways 42, 42. As the shaft 4 rotates the arm 44 moves into the position shown in broken lines and a bottle is positioned in the 'U-shaped portion 48. The arm 44 returns to its original position and thus carries the bottle into one of the gaps 34 of the disc 40. The disc 40 then indexes one eighth of a revolution and the bottle is carrieed out from theportion 48 in between the guideways 36, 38. Further indexing of the disc 40 carries the bottle round between the guideways 36, 38 to the presenting means which comprises a bottle holder 96 situated at the operating station A, where cotton wool is inserted into the bottle, and thence'inbetween the guideways 50, 50 which carry the bottle away outfroin the gap 34, in the disc 40 in which it was held. In the illustrative machine bottles are moved alon'gbetween the guideways 50, 50 by pressure from succeeding bottles which have been carried away out from the disc 40.

The bottle holder 96 of the presenting means is best seen in Figure 2. It is U-shaped in cross section by a vertical plane extending forwardly and rearwardly of the illustrative machine, and is situated in a gap between the guideways 36, 38 and the guideways 50, 50.and in effect forms a continuation of those guideways. A spring loaded finger 144 serves to hold a bottle positioned in the holder 96 more firmly. The holder 96 is mounted on a vertical shaft 98 which is itself mounted in bearings 100, 102, 104 of which the bearing is mounted on the table 8 and the two bearings 102, 104 on the frame 2. In the operation of the illustrative machine the holder 96 is caused to be rotated through an angle. Mechanism for causing this will now'be described. Towards the lower end of the shaft 98 is fixed a sprocket wheel 106 (Figures 2 and 3). A chain 108 which passes round the wheel 106 has one end portion connected to one end of a coil spring 110, the other end of which is connected to the frame 2. The other end portion of the chain 108 is connected to an arm 112 which is fixed to another arm 114- which is pivoted on the spindle 64. Mounted on the arms 112 and 114 is a cam roll 116,which bears against a cam 118 fixed on the shaft 4. In the illustrative machine the cam 118 is so constructed that during one rotation of the shaft 4 the arms 112 and 114 are so moved that the chain 108 causes the shaft 98 to be rotated through approximately 180", kept in rotated position for an interval, and then returned to its original position and kept in that position for an interval.

Also in the operation of the illustrative machine the holder 96 is caused to move upwards and downwards to present a bottle to the inserting mechanism D neck portion uppermost. The arrangement which causes this upwards and downwards movement will now be described. Two circular plates 120, 122 are mounted on the shaft 98 between the bearings 102 and 104 and are spaced somewhat apart from each other. A member 124 comprising two parallel bars 126, 126 is pivoted to the frame 2 at 128, and towards one end has two pins 130, 130 which lie in the gap between the plates 120 and 122. Towards the other end of the member 124 is connected a rod 132' which is connected by a universal joint to an arm 134. The arm 134 is pivoted to the frame 2 at 136, and carries towards one end a cam roll 138. A spring 142 (Figure 2) connected between the arm 134 and the frame 2 urges the roll 138 against a cam 140 which is mounted on the shaft 4. On rotation of the cam 140 from the position shown in Figure 2 the roll 138 is allowed to rise, the rod 132 is thus moved downwards, the member 124 moved about its pivot 128 and the shaft 98 is moved upwards. The arrangement is such that for each rotation of the shaft 4 the bottle holder 96 is moved upwards and downwards to present a bottle to the inserting mechanism.

The inserting mechanism D will now be described with particular reference to Figures 4 and 5. The mechanism D is mounted on a face plate 6 which is fixed to the rame 2, and comprises a guide member 146 which comprises an upper, tube, portion 152 formed to control a rope of cotton wool and a lower portion which extends obliquely downwards and presents a guide surface for the cotton wool, and feeding mechanism, including a feeding member 148 of sheet metal, for causing cotton wool to be fed obliquely downwards along the portion 150. A block 154 supports the guide member 146 and is attached to the plate 6. The member148 is pivoted by a pin 156 approximately midway between its end portions towards one end of a beam 158, which is itself pivoted to the plate 6 intermediate its ends at 160. Towards its other end the beam 158 is pivoted by a pin 159 to a driving link 162. The link 162 is driven by being connected by a crank pin 164 to a disc 166 fixed to the shaft 10 which passes through the plate 6, so that as the shaft 10 is rotated vertical and lateral motion is imparted to the link 162 and the beam 158 is rocked by the link 162 about the pivot 160. An ear 168 is fixed to the link 162 approximately midway between the pin 159 and the pin 164. interconnecting this ear 168 and an upper end portion of the member 148 is a link forming a lost mo tion device 169. The device 169 comprises a first sleeve 170 which is hinged to the car 168, a second sleeve 172 which is hinged to an upper end portion of the member 148, and a rod 174 which is fixed in the sleeve 172 but can move axially in the sleeve 170. A spring 176 is also connected between the ear 168 and a projection 266 attached to the member 148, and urges the member 148 in an anticlockwise direction (Figures4 and 5).

The operation of the inserting mechanism D will now be described with particular reference to Figure 5. A rope of cotton wool passes through the upper portion 152 of the guide member 146 and lies between the members 146 and 148 along the portion 150, which thus presents a guide surface to the cotton wool. The disc 166 is shown in Figure 5 with the pin 164 approximately at top dead centre, and a lower end portion 149 of the member 148 is shown gripping cotton wool between itself and the member 146, being urged towards the member 146' by action of the spring 176. The portion 149 terminates in a substantially straight edge extending forwardly' and rearwardly of the machine. The bottle 184 is shown positioned to have cotton wool inserted thereinto. As the disc 166 rotates, vertical movement of the link 162 causes the beam 158 to rock on the pivot 160. At the same time lateral movement of the car 168 on the link 162 towards the operating station A causes the sleeve 170 to be thrown towards the sleeve 172 until it engages it. Further lateral movement of the ear 168 then causes the member 148 to be moved clockwise relative to its pivot 156 and the portion 149 is moved away from the member 146 and is caused to follow approximately a closed path as shown at 178. As the pin 164 comes toward and passes bottom dead centre lateral movement of the ear 168 on the link 162 away from. the operating station causes anticlockwise movement of the member 148 relative to its pivot 156, the sleeves 170, 172 remaining in contact under the action of the spring 176. When the portion 149 of the member 148 engages the cotton wool and grips it against the guide member 146 further anticlockwise motion of the member 148 relative to its pivot 156 is prevented and the portion 149' is prevented from following the path which it wouldhave followed in the absence of the cotton wool and of the member 146. As further movement of the link 162 takes place the sleeve 170 moves away from the sleeve 172 against the action of the spring 176 and the portion 149, gripping cotton wool between itself and the guide member 146 under the action of the spring 176, feeds cotton wool downwards along the guide mem ber. If there were no cotton wool present sleeves 170, 172 would remain in engagement until the portion 149 came into contact with the member 146. Thus, while the pin 164 is moving from that position past bottom dead centre in which the portion 149 first engages the cotton wool towards top dead centre, sleeves 170, 172 move apart, the beam 158 rocks clockwise on the pivot 160 and the portion 149, urged. to grip cotton wool between itself and the member 146 by the spring 176, moves obliquely downwardsalong the guide member 146 thuscausing the cotton Wool tobe fed forward along the guide. surface relative to the member. 146 and into the neck portion of the. bottle 184. Mean thus be seen that the, portion 149 is arranged inthe operation of the illustrative machine to move to and fro in its closed path, approximately-as. shown at 178, and that for one part of the path it causes cottonwool to be fed as just described; cotto'n wool is fed. into each bottle by a plurality of such to-and-fro movements. If the portion 149 were to move back along. the same part of the path, it wouldv still be gripping, the cottonwool and would tend to feed cotton wool upwards relative to the member 146. But, as has been described, for the other part of the close'd'path the portion 149 is not urged by the spring 176 towards the member 146 and'is moved away from the'memb'er 146. There is thus an overall forward feed of cotton wool relative to the member .146.

The illustrative machine comprises a sensing. device which ensures that cotton wool is-only fed when a bottle is" presentedlto the inserting, mechanism D. Attached to the block 154 is a positioning member in the form 10 of a block having a partly conical opening 182 adapted to receive the neck portion of the bottle 184 (Figure 5). A slot 186 in the block 180 extends forward from the opening 182. The sensing device com prises a microswitch 188 so positioned on the block 180 that a tongue 190 of the switch 188 extends in the slot 186, leads from the microswitch lead to a solenoid 192 fixed to the plate 6. The device also comprises a stop arm 194 which is pivoted to the plate 6 at 196 and which is attached by a hinged arm 198 to a solenoid bar 200 positioned in the core of the solenoid 192. A spring 202, fixed both to the arm 194 and the plate 6, urges the arm 194 into a first position (Figure 4). When the bottle 184 is presented to the guide member of the inserting mechanism by upward movement, as previously described, of the bottle holder 96 so that part of the guide member is accommodated in the bottle, the neck portion of the bottle 184 engages the tongue 190 and causes the sensing device to cause the feeding mechanism to become operative to feed cotton wool into the bottle, for such movement operates the microswitch 188, which actuates the solenoid 192 and thus causes the bar 200 to be drawn into the solenoid 192, and the arm 194 to move into a second position (Figure 5). The inserting mechanism D then operates as previously described. When the bottle holder 96 takes the bottle 184 away from its presented position, the microswitch 188 operates to switch off the solenoid 192. The spring 202 therefore causes the bar 200 to be drawn out of the solenoid 192 and the arm 194 to move into its first position (Fig ure 4). In this position the projection 206 bears against the arm 194. This, as can be seen in Figure 4, prevents the portion 149 being urged against the member 146 and thus prevents full movement of the member 148 in its closed path as previously described and also preventscotton wool from being gripped between the two mem bers 146 and 143 and being fed forwards relative to the former. It will thus be realized that the member 148 moves to and fro continually during the operation of the machine but is normally inoperative to feed cotton W001. Thus when the bottle 184 is in presented position the sensing device is toperative to cause the feeding mechanism to operate to feed cotton wool along the guide surfaceinto the bottle 184 and when it is removed frompresented position the device is operative to cause the mechanism to cease to feed cotton wool along the guide surface.

A roll 204 is also attached to the plate 6 to support the rope of cotton wool during the operation of the machine.

Theconstruction and operation of the means C will now be described with reference to Figures 2 and 6. Supporting arms 208 are fixed to the frame 2 by means of a block 209 and a bolt 211, and have pivoted to them at210 a bar 212. Towards one end the bar 212 has a pin 214 fixed to it, on which pin are pivoted two shear arms 216, 218. The shear arm 216 has attached to itby two screws 220 a blade 222: the shear arm 218 is constructed to have'a slot224 adapted to' receive the blade 222 on a cutting operation being performed. The shear arms 216, 218'are pivoted at 226, 228 to end portions of links 230, 232, whose other endportions are pivoted towards opposite ends of a bar 234. A spring 236 is attached betweenthe links 230,232. The bar 234 is fixed to a sleeve 238 which can move slidably on the bar 212. Two screws240'which are mounted in a block fixed to the sleeve 238 act as pivots for bars 242, 242, which are also attached towardstheir rear endportions by a spindle 254 to an arm 244 whichis pivoted to the frame 2 at 246. A cam roll 248 on the arm 244 isurged into engagement with a cam 250 on the shaft 4 by a spring 252which is attached both to the frame 2 andthe spindle 254. An arm 256 is attached to the bar 212 and has an adjustablestop 258 which, during the operation of the machine; may abut-against the rear end of the block 209.

The severing means C operates as follows. As the shaft 4 rotates the cam 250 bears against the cam roll 248, and thus the bars 242 are urged forward against the action of the spring 252. It will be noted that in a rest position of the shear arms 216, 218, as shown in Figure 2, the shear arms abut against the lower face of the block 180. The forward movement of the bars 242 will tend to cause relative movement between the sleeve 238 and the bar 212, but the mechanism is so arranged that before such movement takes place the bar 212 pivots about the pivot 210 until the stop 258 bears against the block 209; the shear arms are thus brought down from their rest position against the block 180 into an operating position. Further forward movement of the bars 242 will cause relative movement between the sleeve 238 and the bar 212; the bar 234 will thus be caused to move forward relative to the pin 214, and through the links 230, 232, the shear arms 216, 218 will be caused to approach each other and perform a detaching operation.

It should be noted that a flywheel 260 mounted on the shaft 4 has a band brake 262 continuously acting on it. This serves to bring the machine quickly to a halt on the motor being stopped.

So that the operation of the illustrative machine may be more fully understood the passage of a bottle through the machine will now be described, with reference to the drawings, particularly to Figure 7, which shows a timing diagram of the various mechanisms of the illustrative machine. The bottle 184 is taken from the guideways 42, 42, (Figure 1) by theU-shaped portion 48 of the arm 44, and positioned in a gap 34 of the disc 40. The disc 40 then indexes once, removes the bottle 184 from the portion 48 and positions it between the guideways 36, 38. On the disc 40 being indexed three more times the bottle 184 is carried from the guideways 36, 38 into position in the bottle holder 96, in which it is held in position by the spring loader finger 144. The holder 96 now rises and presents the bottle 184 to the guide member 146 neck portion uppermost so that part of the guide surface is accommodated in the bottle, obliquely of the neck portion, and the neck portion of the bottle, entering the opening 182 of the positioning block 180 (Figure 5), engages the tongue 190, and causes the microswitch 188 to operate the solenoid 192 to move the arm 194, so that the member 148, which moves continuously while the machine is operating, is allowed its full movement and begins to feed cotton wool. Cotton wool is thus fed into the bottle 184, obliquely downwards along the guide surface, and passes obliquely across the neck portion of the bottle 184 and is packed at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion of the bottle. A plurality of to-and-fro movements of the member 148 in its closed path causes the cotton wool to be fed into the bottle step by step; after one portion of cotton wool has moved out of contact with the members 148 and 146 it is fed further by the pressure due to feeding subsequent portions of cotton wool behind it. The toand-fro movements of the member 148 causes the cotton wool to be packed in the bottle in a plurality of tucks; conveniently the relative speeds of rotation of the shafts and 4 are such that the cotton wool in each bottle contains about ten tucks. It will be realised that as the cotton wool is fed into the bottle it will easily accommodate itself to the configuration of the tablets in the bottle, which may well present a very irregular surface over which it is desired the cotton wool may be fairly regularly distributed.

If during feeding of cotton wool into the bottle the bottle were to remain in the one position relative to the inserting mechanism cotton wool would only be packed under the shouldering in one locality. The illustrative machine, however, being adapted for use in inserting cotton wool in bottles of the type in which the body portion is of oval cross section is provided with means arranged so that after a certain length of cotton wool has been inserted at one locality underthe shouldering of the bottle 184, the bottle 184 is rotated through an angle of approximately relative to the guide member 146 and a further length inserted so that the feeding member 148 packs cotton wool in the bottle at another locality under the shouldering, namely 180 from the first locality. The bottle holder is thus rotated while the inserting operation is taking place simultaneously with the feeding of the cotton wool so that cotton wool is packed more uniformly under the shouldering and the cam 118 is arranged so that this happens as has been previously described. It will be understood that the illustrative machine may be modified for use in inserting cotton wool into containers of other types by replacing the'cam 118 by one so shaped that the holder 96 is'arranged to rotate a container positioned in it simultaneously with the feeding of the cotton wool in a way depending on the particular shape of the shouldering of the container. With containers whichhave a shouldering some portions of which are deeper than others the cam in the modified form of the illustrative machine is so shaped that after a certain length of cotton wool has been inserted the container is rotated and a further length of cotton wool inserted at localities corresponding to'such deeper portions.

In the illustrative machine the bottle 184 in the holder 96 is rotated as described through approximately 180 and is then lowered from presented position. As the neck portion of the bottle moves out of contact with the tongue 19%), the microswitch 188 causes the solenoid 192 to be switched olf and the arm 194 thus moves from its second to its first position under the action of the spring 202 to contact the projection 206 on the member 148 and to cause feeding of cotton wool to cease. When the holder 96 is in its lower position, the means C comes into operation; the shear arms 216, 218 move downwards into their operating position, and then move towards each other to sever the cotton wool inserted in the bottle 184 from the length of cotton wool along the guide surface just above the neck portion of the bottle. The holder 96 then rotates back to its first position, the shear arms 216, 218 move away from each other and back to their position resting up against the block 180, and the disc 40 indexes round one eighth of a revolution thus carrying the bottle 184 with cotton wool inserted out from the holder 96 into the guideways 50, 50. The bottle is then pushed along these guideways by pressure from subsequent bottles passing through the machine.

Having described the invention, What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface and mechanism arranged to cause packing material to be fed along said guide surface, the machine being so constructed that when in the operation of the machine such a container is presented to the guide member neck portion uppermost and in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container obliquely of the neck portion, packing material fed along the guide surface into the container passes obliquely across the neck portion and is packed at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion.

2. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type comprising a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards and a feeding member, between which two members the packing material passes, one end portion of the feeding member being arranged to move in the operation of the machine in a closed path and wherein the machine is so arranged that for one part of said path said end portion is both urged towards the guide member, thus causing packing material to be gripped between said two members, and moved along relative to the guide member, thus causing the packing material to be fed forward along the guide surface, and that for the other part of said path said end portion is not so urged towards the guide member, so that, when in the operation of the machine such a container is presented to the guide member neck portion uppermost and in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface as accommodated in the container, packing material is fed obliquely downwards across the neck portion of the container and is packed at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion.

3. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member, a feeding member, between which and the guide member the packing material passes, a beam which is pivoted intermediate its ends and which has the feeding member pivotally mounted on it towards one of its ends, a driving link pivotally mounted on the beam towards its other end, driving means arranged to impart vertical and lateral motion to said driving link, and a second link interconnecting the driving link and an upper end portion of the feeding member, the arrangement being such that in the operation of the machine a lower end portion of the feeding member is caused to move in a closed path and that for one part of said path said lower end portion is spring urged to grip packing material against the guide member and causes said material to fed forward relative to said guide memher, and for the other part of said path said lower end portion is not so urged to grip packing material against the guide member, there thus being an overall forward feed of the packing material relative to the guide member.

4. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, a feeding member, between which and the guide member the packing material passes, a. beam pivoted intermediate its ends, the feeding member beingpivotallymounted towards one end of the beam, a driving link pivotally mounted on the beam towards its other end, driving means arranged to impart veritcal and lateral motion to said driving link, and a second link interconnecting the driving link and an upper end portion of the feeding member, the arrangement being such that in the operation of the machine a lower end portion of the feeding member is caused to move in a closed path such that for one part of said path said lower end portion is spring urged to grip packing material against the guide member, and is moved along relative to the guide member, thus causing packing material to be fed along the guide surface, and that for the other part of said path said lower end portion is not so urged against the guide member, so that, when in the operation of the machine such a container is presented to the guide member neck portion uppermost in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container obliquely of the neck portion, packing material is fed obliquely across the neck portion of the container and is packed at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion.

5. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising mechanism, including a feeding member, arranged to feed packing material into the neck portion of such a container, means arranged to so present the container to said feeding mechanism that the feeding member packs material into the container at one locality under the shouldering of the body portion and means arranged to rotate the container in the operation of the machine so that the feeding member packs material into the container at another locality under the shouldering of the body portion.

6. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, mechanism arranged to cause packing material to be fed obliquely downwards along said guide surface, means arranged to present such a container in the operation of the machine to the member that packing material is fed into the neck portion of the container and means arranged to cause relative rotation between the container and the guide member during the operation of the machine so that the material is packed more uniformly under the shouldering of the body portion.

7. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, mechanism arranged to cause packing material to be fed obliquely downwards along said surface, a holder arranged to present such a container in the operation of the machine to the member in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container and that packing material fed into the container passes obliquely across the neck portion and means arranged to rotate the holder to rotate the container during the operation of the machine so that the material is packed more uniformly under the shouldering of the body portion.

8. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, mechanism, including a feeding member which moves to-andfro in the operation of the machine, arranged to cause packing material to be fed obliquely downwards along said surface into such a container by a plurality of such to-and-fro movements, and a holder arranged to present the container in the operation of the machine to the memher in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container and that packing material fed into the container passes obliquely across the neck portion, the machine being so arranged that during the feeding of the packing material relative rotation is caused to take place between the container and the guide member.

9. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface, mechanism, including a feeding member which moves to and fro in the operation of the machine, arranged to cause packing material to be fed along said guide surface and the machine being so constructed that when, in the operation of the machine,

15 1 such a container is presented to the guide member neck portion uppermost and in such a manner thatipart at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container obliquely of the neck portion, packing material is fed into the container by a plurality of said to-and-fro movements, and, passing obliquely across the neck portion, is packed into the container, in a plurality of tucks, at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion.

10. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, mechanism, including a feeding member which moves to-andfro in the operation of the machine, arranged to cause packing material to be fed obliquely downwards along said surface, and means arranged to present such a container to the guide member in the operation of the machine neck portion uppermost and in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container obliquely of the neck portion and that packing material fed into the container by a plurality of said to-and-fro movements passes obliquely downwards across the neck portion into the container and is packed, in a plurality of tucks, at least in part under the shouldering of the body portion.

11. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a downwardly extending guide member and a feeding member between which two members the packing material passes, one end portion of the feeding member being arranged to move to-and-fro in the operation of the machine in such a way that for one part of its movement said end portion is both urged towards the guide member, thus causing the packing material to be gripped between said two members, and moved along relative to the guide member, thus causing the packing material to be fed forwards relative to said guide member andthat for the other part of its movement said end portion is not so urged towards the guide member, there thus being an overall forward feed of the packing material relative to the guide member for one to-and-fro movement of the feeding member, wherein in the operation of the machine a container is presented to the guide member neck portion uppermost and packing material is fed into the container by a plurality of said to-and-fro movements and is'packed into the container in a plurality of tucks.

12. A machine adapted for use in inserting packing material, such as cotton wool, crinkled paper strip or the like, into a container of the type that comprises a neck portion and a shouldered body portion to act as a packing on top of previously inserted tablets or the like, said machine comprising a guide member presenting a guide surface extending obliquely downwards, mechanism arranged to cause packing material to be fed along said guide surface, a holder arranged in the operation of the machine to present such a container to the guide member neck portion uppermost and in such a manner that part at least of the guide surface is accommodated in the container obliquely of the neck portion, a sensing device arranged to operate to cause the feeding mechanism to be operative to feed packing material along said surface into the container'when in such presented position and to operate to cause the mechanism not to be operative when the container is not so presented, and means ar ranged to detach packing material which has been inserted into the container from the remainder of the packing material in the machine, the machine being so arranged that in its operation (a) the container is positioned in the holder (b) the holder presents the container to the guide member and the feeding mechanism operates to feed packing material obliquely downwards into the container and material is packed at one locality under the shouldering of the body portion, (0) the angular relation of the container and the guide means is altered, so that the feeding mechanism packs material into the container at another locality under the shouldering of the body portion a (d) the holder removes the container from presented position and the feeding mechanism ceases to operate to feed packing material and (e) the detaching means severs the packing material which has been inserted into the container from the remainder of the packing material in the machine.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Re. 9,956 Dederick Dec. 6, 1881 1,242,313 Beals Oct. 9, 1917 1,337,410 Reese Apr. 20, 1920 1,857,915 Kirshner May 10, 1932 2,057,121 Trevellyan Oct. 13, 1936 2,624,499 Gold Jan. 6, 1953 in- 1 ar 

